UPSIDE DOWN

~ 31 ~

Leonardo 

That's my daughter, that was my Sylvie, mine. 

I just saw her for the first time in years, and dare I say she's changed. Her features are sharper, her eyes are slightly smaller, hair is longer and her body size has considerably thinned down.

And she still looks like the same princess, the same one I saw on that day when I held her for the first time. 

She could barely open her eyes, and was soo tiny I was afraid I'd break her with my hold. 

She's that same little girl, my daughter. 

The moment she asked to go out, I was scared. Fear coursing through my veins, I gulped in anxiety that I might loose her again. 

I lost her the day Grace to her away, and again lost her the day I faked my death. 

I can't loose her again. 

I drop down to the couch, "papa, non pensarci troppo, verra a parlarti presto" (don't think too much, she'll come talk to you soon) I hear Andrea speak. 

"le abbiamo mentito per cosi tanto tempo, Andrea, ne dobito" (we lied to her for soo long Andrea, I doubt it) I reply. 

"ha passato cosi tanto e io non cero, aveva bisogno di suo padre e io non sero" (She's gone through so much and I wasn't there, she needed her father, and I wasn't there) I run my hands through my hair in frustration. 

I should've been there, I shouldn't have hidden away. 

I could've protected my family by being with them. Then maybe my Grace would be alive and Sylvie wouldn't have suffered so much. 

"papa?" I hear a soft voice, the voice I've been craving to hear for the past few years. 

My entire body freezes the moment I look at her, my senses seem to have given up on me because all I can think of is my daughter. 

How I've craved to hold her in my arms, cradle her and hug her to my chest and to never let go. 

I stay frozen as Luca places her feet to the ground, she's just 4-5 steps away from me. 

I stay frozen when she takes a shaky step towards me, still partly holding onto Luca's arm for support. 

I stay frozen as a small smile appears on her face, like a ray of hope when she takes another step towards me, now slowly letting go of Luca's grasp. 

I stay frozen until she slightly stumbles in front of me and I immediately reach out to her, pulling her towards me. 

I place her figure on my lap as I cradle her body in my arms, the same way I've always wanted to console her. 

And she's here. She's with me. She's safe. 

And I'm hugging her. 

I tighten my grip around her, pulling her closer. She wraps her hands around me torso, holding on to me tighter. 

Sylvie, my bambina, mia figlia. 

"Sylvie" I barely whisper into her hair, still holding onto her. I close my eyes, taking in her scent. 

She's here. 

I can't seem to wrap my head around it. 

Thinking about all that I had heard she went through, I wanted to personally kill every person who was even minutely involved in harming her. 

Destroying every essence of their existence is all that I live for now.

She takes a deep breath against my chest before pulling away and looking at me.